Remember Me
by Wesrox
Summary: Sometimes time can't work fast enough and change has to be forced. Post Hogwarts. Harry/Fleur eventually.
1. Escape

Authors Note: This story is quite conceptual, and begins after the battle of Hogwarts. There's not going to be a lot of magic and action in the first few chapters, as I want to focus more on the human aspect of the characters. Without further delay I present the first of what is hopefully the beginning of many chapters.

Chapter One: Escape

" It's been six months since the final battle at Hogwarts, many of our friends, mentors, and classmates have passed on to the next great adventure. They say time heals all wounds but I wonder if time may be working too slowly. It seemed like yesterday we were at the wedding before they attacked. Suddenly we're off running around Britain chasing the horcruxes while everyone else prevailed with us being their only hope. We found them all in the end and soon enough it was time to face Voldemort. The first battle was gruesome and suddenly everything stopped and it seemed like the most eerie calm. Turns out Harry went to meet Voldemort to give his life so that everyone else could live. It all seemed hopeless when we saw his lifeless body; I honestly thought that all was lost. And then Neville swung the sword, Harry rose from the dead, and at the end of it all we had won. Yet the only thing I ask these days are at what cost? He's lost so much and yet here he stands ready to give more at a moments notice for those who need him. Nobody really sees just how broken he truly is, they just see the "chose one," the great savior of Britain. Nobody sees him sitting by a fireplace with empty bottles of Firewhisky at two in the morning mumbling about what he couldn't do and those he couldn't save. I told him it wasn't his fault, we all did. But the unfortunate truth is you can only influence someone's ideals but never change them, only they had the power to do that. I miss them terribly as well. Remus, Tonks, Fred, Dumbledore, Sirius, and so many others whose lives were cut short by one madman's reign of terror. Yet here I am, lost as to what I could possibly do to ease his pain. I guess there really isn't much I could do other than be there for him and hope I don't find him hanging off a rope or at the end of his own curse. I miss you Ronald, and I miss our friendship. And I don't have to tell you that Ginny leaving had its effect on Harry. I understand why you left and why Ginny left shortly after the war to make a life somewhere else, away from all this pain. I hope you may come back someday and I hope this letter finds you in good health. I do hope that you may respond someday.

With Love,

Hermione Granger

Hermione sighed as she sealed the envelope and set it to the side of the desk. It all seemed to have happened so fast. She knew she rambled a bit in her letter but she didn't care, she had to tell someone even if it was just a piece of paper that may never be sent.

Suddenly a crash downstairs woke Hermione from her reminiscing as she grabbed her wand and ran downstairs towards the noise.

"HARRY? HARRY?" exclaimed Hermione as she charged into the living room to find Harry where he always was laid out on the ground with an empty bottle in hand.

"Her.. Hermione?" whispered a barely audible voice

"Yes, Harry, its me." Said Hermione softly as she knelt down by Harry laying his head on her lap.

"You're still here..." whispered Harry with a small sigh

"Where else would I be? Working at the ministry?" said Hermione causing the two to share a quick laugh

The smile lasted a couple of seconds before Harry let out another sigh and closed his eyes. "I don't know if I can do this anymore… These memories… These ghosts… They're so loud.."

"Harry.."

"I know, I couldn't save everyone and I've come to terms with that along with the pain of missing them every waking moment that I live. Well, what about now? What am I to them? I'm just a scapegoat to these people. They celebrate now, they get tired and then they'll start searching, start questioning, trying to expose every fault and suddenly I'm crucified again. This war was all I've known, what I was born for, what everyone seemed to die for. It's over now and that's good. Nobody needs to suffer anymore. They can just continue with their lives, well what about me? What life do I live? How do you live, knowing and seeing the things that I've seen? "

Hermione sat quietly pondering the morality of what she was about to say. "_It's killing him; everything that's happened it'll kill him eventually. He doesn't have an anchor and I can't be that anchor, not in his eyes_."

"Do you really want to forget?" whispered Hermione looking fixatedly at a painting on the wall.

"Everything, anything to stop this madness going on in here." Muttered Harry as he pointed at his head.

Hands shaking Hermione grabbed her wand from behind and pointed it at the still moving body.

"Obliviate."

The stars shown brightly in the night as the clicking of heels could be heard along with the rustle of shopping bags. The moonlight illuminated her hair allowing a soft silver to glow ever so slightly. With a turn in the road the cobblestone was replaced by dirt as a small cottage could be seen off in the distance amongst the grassy meadows, the sounds of waves crashing off in the distance. But something was wrong. The front door was open and a man with long fiery red hair could be seen at the doorway. He never stood outside to wait, something must have happened.

"What is it, Bill?" Said the woman as she approached the cottage

The man didn't say anything as he simply handed her a copy of the Daily Prophet while taking the bags from her hands.

"CHOSEN ONE GONE AGAIN."

"I don't understand, where could he have gone? Did he tell anyone?" asked the confused woman.

"Nobody knows, I tried talking to mum and some other members of the order but nobody knows where he went." Said Bill

"Well, is he dead?" asked the woman with concern clearly etched across her face.

"No, the goblins and ministry would have known. Maybe he just needed to get away for awhile," said Bill.

"Escape." Muttered Fleur in thought as Bill put his arm around her and lead her into the house.

"It'll be alright Fleur, I'm sure he'll return eventually." Said Bill

"Someday."

Authors Note: I know the chapters a little short but I just wanted to somewhat set the plot. Would love to have some feedback on what you guys think so far on this concept.


	2. Seasons

Chapter Two: Seasons

"Happy Anniversary!" shouted the chorus of voices as candles were blown out and the sounds of champagne corks flying could be heard shortly after.

"Thank you all for being here on this special day, family and friends." Said Bill with a glass in his hands towards the small group gathered by the tables outside of the burrow.

"Yes, thank you." Said Fleur with a warm smile that was welcomed by some and refused by others.

Shortly after the announcements and immediate celebrations various people had to leave and soon it was only Molly, Arthur, and Fred present.

"Amazing how fast time fly by once you hit 20 isn't it?" said Arthur Weasley with a small smile and a beer in hand.

"It's been quite a year." Said Bill with a grin as he began sharing various stories with his family while Fleur sat off to the side observing the various people around her. The war had its toll on everybody and even her even though she couldn't imagine the pain that these people went through.

Molly put on a brave face around her family and friends but sometimes when Fleur would visit she could still see the tear stains and tired eyes. It must be hard losing a child forever and have two more leave to some unknown place. She was such a brave woman willing to do anything to protect the ones she loved as seen by her now legendary duel with Bellatrix Lestrange.

Arthur was similar to Molly but Fleur could tell he wasn't the type of person to cry often. Instead he seemed to cope with his loss by throwing himself into work as he helped with efforts to restore the damage wrought from Voldemort's reign of terror. He's helped various families and rounded up several death eaters, he never seemed to refuse anything asked of him these days.

Fred seemed to have taken the loss of his twin brother the hardest as he had resorted to wearing all black yet tried to retain his joy and sense of humor. Sometimes it would border on the edge of insanity but he wouldn't harm anyone, just himself. Fleur remembered walking in on him one time kneeled over performing cutting curses on himself and healing it while mumbling about how it should have been him. At first Fred was mortified about being caught but Fleur reassured him that it would stay between them as long as he went to seek help. She had recommended for him to visit a muggle psychiatrist and it seemed to help. Fleur noticed he was wearing a white shirt inside his black jacket. They caught each others eye and Fred gave her a thankful smile, which she returned.

"Fleur dear, don't you remember that one night at Megara and Ryan's party?" came the distant voice of Bill returning Fleur to reality.

"Oh yes, she was livid when Ryan spilt that drink on the new carpet." Said Fleur putting on a small smile while Bill went back to his story.

She looked over at Bill as he turned his face to the side and the scar from where Fenrir had slashed him could be seen. She smiled to herself sadly as she recalled the night where she defended Bill and herself from the Weasley clan. She knew about the phlegm jokes and how everyone thought she was snotty and pompous. They were right but none of them saw her attempts at changing. That was part of the reason she came to Britain in the first place. She didn't need to work a day in her life. She didn't need to fight in a war she had no part in. She left everything that was easy and comfortable in hopes of bettering herself. The tournament helped her mature and humble her a lot. She quickly found out she wasn't the best both magic wise and as a person. If she were completely honest she would trace this desire to change back to a certain Harry James Potter and his string of selfless action and sacrifice. This led to her next thought, it's been a year and still nobody has seen or heard from Harry.

"Has anyone heard from Harry?' said Fleur without really meaning to say it aloud. Everyone at the table quickly silenced and all eyes were on her. She looked around a hint of sadness could be seen around everyone's eyes.

"No dear I'm afraid he is still missing." Said Molly sadly

"Well I wouldn't say missing, probably more like not wanting to be found." Mused Fred

"Well he could have at least wrote!" snapped Molly

"I'm sure Harry has his reasons, we're all coping in our own ways." Said Arthur sagely

"I'm sure he'll be back eventually, I've heard some rumors' of Harry being seen in Paris, Rome, and even London." Said Bill leaning in towards the group

"He'll come back. When he's ready I guess." Said Fleur with her arms folded lost in her own thoughts.

The warm summer nights quickly turned into a snowy December as the grounds of Hogwarts was once again covered in snow. Fleur Delacour would be seen working on warming droughts and healing frostbite for the various students in the hospital wing. She was almost done with her internship but found herself often questioning her choice of career in life. But those were thoughts for another day as she was soon finished up bottling the droughts when a voice echoed down the hospital wing.

"Fleur?"

She gave a small smile as she turned around to find her husband standing by the doorway. With a couple quick strides she was right in front of him and embraced in his arms.

"I've missed you." Whispered Fleur

"I missed you too, but I think what I'm about to say is going to miss you more." Said Bill nervously

"Why? What happened?" said Fleur separating herself from Bill and looking him in the eyes.

"Well, Megara and I, we found this text that may contain the cure to lycanthropy in a tomb off in Romania. It's a major discovery and this could change the lives of everyone!" exclaimed Bill

"That sounds great! But, what's the catch?" said Fleur

"Well, with excavation time and various wards needing to be broken it would be about a year." Said Bill looking away fearful of the ensuing wrath.

"Well can't I just come?" asked Fleur

"No, you need to stay and finish your internship, and it's located in a lycan village so only those who have it are allowed to be near the site." Said Bill

Ignoring the first statement, Fleur sighed, "Well, go then. I know this means a lot to you and thousands of others. I'll be fine."

"You're the best dear!" said Bill with a smile as he kissed her on the head and began to head out the door.

With another sigh Fleur walked back into the hospital wing dejected that she was about to spend Christmas alone.

"_Well there are worse things in life_." Thought Fleur with a sad smile and looked out towards the windows.

"_I miss Paris_."

"Harry wake up! You're about to be late for class." Came a muffled voice that came from downstairs.

"Jus… Just a minute." Muttered a voice after an audible groan.

"Harry! Come on!" said Hermione who was now at the door fully dressed with two backpacks in her hand.

"Alright, alright." Said Harry

"Some Privacy?"

"Right." Said Hermione awkwardly "I'll just be.. Yeah."

With a slight chuckle Harry quickly got dressed in a pair of black jeans and an Oxford hoodie.

"All right Hermione, lets go!" said Harry as he ran out the door dragging Hermione in tow.

"Honestly Harry!"

Once again the grounds went from being blanketed in snow to a field of blooming flowers and fresh cut grass. Students lounged on the grass as they studied for finals and soon enough everyone was gone. The leaves began to fall as people old and new returned for a new year. Time passed and winter was soon approaching.

"I'll be right there!" a soft voice could be heard from the kitchen belonging to a certain Fleur Delacour as she quickly rushed over to open the door.

"Bill!" exclaimed Fleur happily as she jumped into her husband's arms craving his warm embrace. It wasn't there. The return was stiff and cold.

"What's wrong dear?" asked Fleur looking up at Bill who seemed to look very distant. She looked around and could see a female figure standing off to the sides by the gate. She had fiery red hair and piercing golden eyes. She wore jeans and a leather jacket that hugged her athletic yet slender build perfectly. The women gave Fleur a wink and a small wave but quickly returned to checking her phone.

Without a word Fleur drew back and slapped Bill across the face before turning away with her arms folded.

"Damn it Fleur!" grunted Bill in pain as he held his cheek. "You're like a freaking mindreader." Muttered Bill

"How long?" said Fleur softly

"Six Months." Said Bill

"I waited for you for 12." Said Fleur

"I know, I know, It's just we were never meant to be. I mean we have nothing in common and we basically just hooked up cause we were attracted by each other and we happened to both turn out to be good people. If it wasn't for the war who knows how long we would have lasted I mean everyone was just marrying and having children left and right." Said Bill as he tried to justify the situation.

The words stung and Fleur could feel tears welling up inside her eyes.

"Keep it." Said Fleur as she grabbed her wand and apparated leaving a stunned Bill and an amused Megara.

Appoline Delacour was having a relaxing evening curled up in her chair by the fireplace reading one of her many fashion books when suddenly she felt the wards go off. With a sigh she put her book off to the side and grabbed her wand heading towards the entrance. To her shock her oldest daughter was standing there seemingly frozen.

"Oh Ma Chérie." Whispered Appoline as she embraced her daughter, she could feel the drips of water on her shirt as Fleur's sobs slowly became louder and louder as she fell to the floor with her mother still holding on tightly trying to comfort her daughter from life's many cruelties.

"How could he."

Authors Note: Here's Chapter Two, it sets the story a little more than the first. Let me know what you guys think!


	3. Hello

Chapter Three: Hello

"You know, Life is funny isn't it?"

"I must say, It's quite the adventure." Said Hermione with a chuckle as she lazily skimmed through the textbook in her hand.

"Hermione?"

" Yes, Harry?"

"You know we graduated right?"

"It doesn't mean I should just drop everything and stop learning." Said Hermione defensively as she pulled her book closer and glared at Harry

"Good, don't ever stop. But, it's Saturday night and there's a big old world out there to explore!" said Harry as he snatched Hermione's book from her and ran into his room before he could get hurt.

"GET CHANGED!" Yelled Harry behind closed doors

Shaking her head Hermione smiled as she got up and headed out the door and across the hall. After college both Harry and Hermione decided to stay close to each other so they purchased two lofts in central London that happened to be side to side. As much as they enjoyed each other's company in college they realized they needed their own space to grow and be by themselves sometimes. Plus it saved them from explaining to others their whole awkward roommates but not together thing.

Hermione's room was well furnished with wooden flooring and endless shelves of bookcases, which was filled with muggle books, but Hermione charmed it so that magical books would also be revealed when she wanted. She went to her closet and decided with a pair of jeans, t-shirt, and a pink hoodie. She went over to her jewelry box and started searching for her favorite gold necklace that Harry had given her when he found it in his family vaults.

"Harry, I can't it was your mothers!" said Hermione defiantly as she refused the beautiful necklace made of 24k gold and held an emerald shaped like a diamond. It was simple but elegant.

"Hermione, it doesn't do any good just laying in the fault. I trust you with it and I'd probably get to see it more this way." Said Harry with a sad smile as he looked at the necklace trying to imagine his mother putting it on and taking it off each morning and night

"Well, I guess you have a point." Said Hermione still unsure

"Of course I do," said Harry with a smile as he moved behind Hermione and with her permission clasped the necklace around her neck.

"Oh Harry." Said Hermione with a sad smile as she recalled the moment. It was right before the summer where everything changed and Harry had woken Hermione early in the morning to visit Gringotts. They discovered that Harry had a vast fortune with both the Potter and Black inheritance. What Harry did after was also a shock to Hermione.

"I want to allow Hermione full access to my faults, if that's fine with you Ragnok?"

"If you wish so Mister Potter it can be arranged." Said Ragnok

"Harry No! It's you can't" protested Hermione

"You're the only person I have left to trust in this world. You're the one that's always been with me. And.. I don't know where this war will take us or what will happen, but I'd feel safer if someone else had control of my accounts in case… Anything happens." Said Harry as his tone drifted off into of sadness and melancholy.

"Harry. Harry! Look at me! Nothing's going to happen, we'll figure everything out." Said Hermione as she grabbed Harry and made him look at her.

"I understand what you mean, and I'll do it if you truly want me to." Said Hermione with a reassuring smile.

"I do." Said Harry with a small smile

"Very well." Said Ragnok as he summoned various papers to fill out and sign and banished it quickly after everything was filled out.

"Done." Said Ragnok with a smile

A knock downstairs returned Hermione back to reality as she quickly put on her necklace and grabbed her purse, throwing her wand in it in just to be safe.

"Coming!"

"Madame, you have a meeting in thirty minutes."

"I'll be there, thank you." Said a soft almost musical voice as she continued sketching in her notebook.

"Ah, Madame Delacour! Just whom I needed to see!" said an excited voice beckoning for Fleur to sit down in front of his desk.

"Always a pleasure Apollo." Said Fleur with a smile as she sat down and graciously accepted the coffee handed to her.

"Reviews from last night are in and let me just tell you they are beyond anything we've seen. You, Madame Delacour have a special gift!" said Apollo as he pulled out various articles to show Fleur all which contained glowing reviews of the design and elegance of the various sketches that were signed with a scrawl of her name at the bottom.

Fleur was elated; as she wasn't sure if anyone would really appreciate her drawings but if the reviews were true than there were people that did. "This is amazing." Said Fleur awestruck.

"I thank you for allowing us to curate your work, it's truly an honor." Said Apollo with a grateful smile.

"The pleasure is all mine Apollo, thank you for believing in me." Said Fleur blushing a little bit.

"Thank you for believing in yourself." Said Apollo with a kind smile as he put a comforting hand on Fleur.

"This time, I want to issue you a challenge. Go somewhere, see something, feel something. It's a great big world out there and you can't enjoy it by just sitting in your studio everyday."

"But I'm happy here, all the inspiration I need is in here." Said Fleur defensively as she pointed to her head.

"You're not happy, I can see it in your eyes. And it's not about what's in there but what comes out of here." Said Apollo as he pointed a finger towards Fleur's heart.

Fleur sighed it's been a year since the "incident," and the effects of it still lingered both in her mind and heart. She cried and cried, she yelled and screamed, she silently begged for him to come back. But the thing is you can't change the past and if you're not ready to let go, it hurts. Her family tried to provide comfort and she found some peace in that. But in the end what comforted Fleur the most was her art. She would paint, sketch, and even mold as she tried to express the various thoughts that go through her mind. She would focus on creating this idea that the thought of Bill and the pain that came with those thoughts would be cleared for those couple of hours.

"Nothing gets past you, does it?" said Fleur with a sad smile

"No, a lot of things do, it's just written all over you face." Said Apollo with a smirk as Fleur glared at him.

"Fleur, you're one of my closest friends and I know what that bastard did to you was terrible and it's left its mark. You know, they say the best works of art are the results of pain and suffering but I don't want that to be what defines you're work. I want you to go Fleur Delacour. Find something new, be happy again." Said Apollo with a warm smile as his eyes were filled with nothing but hope and concern for his friend.

"You always do know what to say." Said Fleur with a smile, her eyes shining with gratitude. Maybe it was time to get out a little bit, see something new.

"So where will you go?" asked Apollo

"Where old haunts lie, and new beginnings await along every street corner. I never did get to enjoy muggle London." Said Fleur thoughtfully.

As Fleur walked out the office building and into the busy streets of central Paris she found a bench nearby and sat down on it.

"_I'm really going to do this. I'm really going back. I must be insane, I mean what if run into them.. No, no, it's not possible. Bill never goes to muggle London. Oh, Merde."_ Groaned Fleur

"_It'll only be for a little bit, just to look around and if I don't like it I'll just go somewhere else. It's not like I can't afford to travel around the world." _ Thought Fleur as she tried to comfort herself with a little ego.

With a resound smile Fleur stood up and found an alleyway where she wouldn't be seen and apparated back home. When she got home she explained Apollo's challenge and her desire for new adventure to her family, which was of course fully supported, by her parents and even Gabrielle after a couple tears were shed over her leaving again. And so with nothing but a small backpack, Fleur Delacour set out towards England.

"You think anybody famous ever comes out of here?" said Harry as he took a sip from his coffee mug.

"I don't know, but usually this is how all artists start out, playing in small café to ten people and maybe years later ten thousand." Said Hermione thoughtfully as she was curled up on a couch next to Harry a mug of coffee in her hand as well.

The two of them had been coming to this café for a while now ever since their college days when they had the summer and winter off. The two remained inseparable and although they each had acquaintances they still liked to stick together

"Hermione?"

"Yes, Harry?"

"Do you believe in magic?"

Hermione almost choked on her coffee but managed to hide it from Harry and quickly responded.

"I mean it's possible, I mean anything is possible right?" said Hermione anxiously

"Are you okay, Hermione?" said Harry eyeing her suspiciously

"Never, better." Said Hermione as she gave him a cheesy forced smile

With a small chuckle Harry turned away and laid his head back on the comfy cushion.

"I mean it just seems surreal that I would meet such an amazing person such as you and we'd get into Oxford and look at us we don't have to work a day in our lives and we're only in our twenties!" said Harry

"It's like I'm Gatsby or something except with like a fairy godmother watching over me." Said Harry excitedly

"Alright, Mr. Bighead, calm down you're not that great and you don't want to be like Gatsby." Snapped Hermione although she broke into a smile shortly after

"Yeah you're right, but you know what I mean. Life is good." Said Harry with a small smile. "I mean I miss my parents and I'd give everything up if I could bring them back. But fact of the matter is I can't change what's happened. And I'm sure mum and dad would want me to be happy. Sirius too. I mean I'm not going to just laze around I want to do something meaningful and impactful you know? Something that will make my parents proud."

Hermione's eyes were glowing a little with tears of happiness "It's all they ever wanted for you Harry, for you to be happy. And trust me, you deserve it more than anybody."

"Everybody deserves happiness, not just me." Said Harry thoughtfully as he got up from the couch and headed towards a woman standing by the door.

"Hello, my name is Harry and I can't help but notice that you seem kind of lost."

"Harry?"

Authors note: And that's chapter three! Let me know what you guys think.


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